LETTERMANIA!

Published 4:00 am, Monday, May 6, 1996

1996-05-06 04:00:00 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- Editor's note: In honor of David Letterman's visit to San Francisco this week, we offer this thrice-weekly (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) feature.

Who's on first?

There's been some late guest-switching for this week's shows at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre. Oakland Oscar-winner Tom Hanks and 49er QB Steve Young are now scheduled for Monday's first P of FA show. And Wednesday night now has a guest star, actor Dean Cain. And Stupid Pet Tricks has been moved to Friday. No official word yet on Robin Williams. But expect at least a walk-on.

Kate and Dave and Dave:

Letterman was in his usual feisty mood last week on an uproarious live satellite interview with KPIX-TV anchors Dave McElhatton and Kate Kelly. When "Mac" told Letterman that viewers wanted to ask him some questions, Letterman snapped, "Write your own damn questions. What are they paying you two?' (Plenty. But not $14 million).

In the Ironic-humor Department, Letterman said to McElhatton-Kelly: "I hope we can get your mayor on the show when we're in San Francisco. I hear he's bashful."

Not even a tough decision:

"Letterman or Luthsansa," thanks to her clever idea on what Dave should do while in the Bay Area (more on that later), there was really no question which tickets she would choose.

"Oh, Letterman of course!" said Tansey to Al Hart on KCBS Friday morning, when offered two ducats to see Big Dave on Thursday night, or tickets to Germany on Lufthansa.

"I entered the contest seven times just for the Letterman tickets," she later explained on the phone. "Besides, the way these contests work, I would have had to pay for food and lodging, and tax on the value of the airline tickets!"

The photographer and mother of two said she will be taking her husband to the show, "but it was a tough decision. One of my friends helped me enter as a co-conspirator."

Her idea? To take Letterman on a tour of "Dave places" in the East Bay: Dave's Coffee Shop, Dave's Complete Auto Service, Dave's Fire Protection, Dave's Dugout Baseball Cards, Dave's Smoke Shop, and . . . we think you get the picture.

Tansey said she's been watching Dave "since he was on daytime TV," and is tickled pink to be going. What was her favorite thing about Letterman? "Oh his sense of humor, everything. I mean, how could not like Dave?"

We question his devotion:

A fan named Greg Thomas posted a message on the Internet saying he had bad news and good news. The good news: He'd won two tickets to Friday's taping. The bad news: "I can't go that day because I'm getting married in Los Angeles" the following day. So Greg was pleading for someone to swap dates with him.

But Letterman newsgroup regular Dave Porter replied:

"So what's the problem? He's going to be outta there by 7:15 at the latest on the 10th. What's the flying time from Cisco (sic) to L.A., about an hour? What the hell is wrong with this guy? We're only talking a wedding, for God's sake! They happen in Vegas every 15 minutes, but Dave in San Francisco - once a lifetime!"

Watch and tell:

We're curious to know what local Lettermaniacs think of Dave's S.F. shows, especially if you're able to see it in person. Be in touch: 415-777-7899 (fax) or 415-777-7899 (phone.)&lt;